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Forex Daily Market Analysis from ForexMart

Discussion in 'Forex Forum' started by Andrea ForexMart, Oct 4, 2016.

  1. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD. Analysis for December 27, 2022

    The euro/dollar instrument's 4-hour chart still shows a convincing wave marking, and the entire upward section of the trend is still very complex. It now has a clear corrective and lengthened form. The waves a-b-c-d-e have been combined into a complex correction structure, with wave e having a form that is significantly more complex than the other waves. Since the peak of wave e is much higher than the peak of wave C, if the current wave layout is accurate, construction on this structure may be nearly finished or may already be finished. In this scenario, we must construct at least three waves. In any case, I'm getting ready to lower the instrument. The market has demonstrated to everyone this year that it would rather wait and rest than actively work, so it may start as early as next year. The market is prepared to sell when an attempt to surpass the 1.0726 level, which corresponds to 200.0% Fibonacci, fails. Despite what might seem to be everything needed for it, the demand for US currency is still not increasing. The wave e's internal wave structure is extremely ambiguous, making it challenging to identify sub-waves.

    A depressing start to the new week.

    On Monday, the euro/dollar instrument increased by 20 basis points. Please note that these statistics are highly conditional, so readers should not draw any conclusions from them. The opening and closing levels of the day rarely fall on the same level. Therefore, even if there is no movement at all, one of the currencies will still rise or fall at least slightly at the end of the day. In contrast, there are currently no movements, amplitudes, or market participants.

    Due to the fact that many nations celebrated Christmas on Monday, the volume of trade and subsequent movements were negatively impacted. There were no changes from yesterday when it was possible to completely avoid opening the trading terminal. The wave marking hasn't changed in over a week. No news context is provided. I still anticipate a decline in quotes based on the current wave markup because I think the upward trend section is finished. The markets will be ready to increase demand for the euro currency if an attempt to break the 200.0% Fibonacci mark is successful. Many analysts discussed the potential movements of the instrument in January 2023 in the final days of the previous year, and the majority of them agreed that the US currency should start to strengthen. I concur with this viewpoint in light of the wave analysis. You must wait because there have been no movements at all thus far. Maybe just until the holidays are over, or maybe it will be much longer. I don't believe the market will start operating actively on January 1 right away. Nearer to the middle of next month, active work is most likely to be seen.

    Conclusions in general
    I draw the conclusion from the analysis that the upward trend section's construction has grown more intricate and is almost finished. As a result, I suggest making sales with targets close to the estimated 0.9994 level, or 323.6% Fibonacci. Although there is a chance that the upward portion of the trend will become even more extended and complicated, and the likelihood that this will happen is still high, at least we now have a signal for a decline from which we can start.

    The wave marking of the descending trend segment noticeably becomes more intricate and lengthens at the higher wave scale. The a-b-c-d-e structure is most likely represented by the five upward waves we observed. After the construction of this section is complete, work on a downward trend section can start.
     
  2. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Trading signal for GOLD (XAU/USD) onDecember 29 - 30, 2022: buy above $1,802 (21 SMA - 6/8 Murray)

    Early in the European session, Gold (XAU/USD) was trading around 1,806.05 above the 21 SMA and below the key resistance of 6/8 Murray located at 1,812.50.

    The positive sentiment in the markets triggered by the news from China lifted the market's spirits, thus boosting the demand for gold. But it could last a short time due to technical reasons. In the daily chart, gold is very overbought and it is expected that there will be a fall in the short term to the levels of 1,750 and 1,720.

    A return below 1,800 would make gold vulnerable to a decline to test the bottom of the uptrend channel around 1,794. A sharp break below could trigger further losses to the area of 1,781 (5/8 Murray). If bearish pressure prevails, it could reach the next support at 1,773 (200 EMA).

    On the 4-hour chart, we can see that gold could resume its bullish cycle if it trades above 1,802.50 (21 SMA). The next target is at 1,812 and the strong resistance area is at 1,823.

    Conversely, in the event that the XAU/USD pair trades below the psychological level of 1,800 we could expect a continuation of the bearish movement and it could reach 1,772 (200 EMA).

    The eagle indicator is giving a positive signal but has technically lost its bullish momentum and any technical bounce is likely to be seen as an opportunity to sell. If in the next few hours, gold fails to consolidate above 1,812, and while the price of gold is trading below this level, it could be seen as an entry point to sell.

    Our trading plan for the next few hours is to buy gold above 1,802 (21 SMA) with targets at 1,812 and 1,823. In the event that gold fails to break the resistance of 1,812, it will be seen as a signal to sell with targets at 1,795.
     
  3. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    European stocks lower on New Year's Eve trading

    On the last trading day of 2022, the leading stock indices of Western Europe were balancing in the red zone after a strong growth the day before. Those that were sharply trading lower were stocks in the consumer, utilities and health care sectors.

    In addition, the volume of trading on European stock exchanges on Friday was lower compared to the previous days of the week in the run-up to the New Year. The stock markets of England and Germany had a shortened session, and on Monday trading floors will be closed due to the New Year celebration.

    At the time of writing, the pan-European Stoxx 600 fell by 0.5% - to 428.21 points.

    Earlier, Bloomberg, the leading American provider of financial information, reported that the STOXX Europe 600 indicator ended the current year with a drop of more than 12%. This will be the sharpest decline for European equities since 2018, and its main reasons are the negative consequences of the situation in Ukraine, the global energy crisis, as well as the permanent acceleration of inflation and decisive actions of the world central banks to combat it.

    French CAC 40 fell by 0.71%, German DAX dropped by 0.68% and British FTSE 100 - by 0.21%. At the same time, since the beginning of the current year, CAC 40 fell by 8.7%, DAX - by 11.9% and FTSE 100 increased by 1.4%.

    Leaders of the fall
    The share price of the German energy company Uniper SE plummeted by 4.3%.

    German biopharmaceutical company MorphoSys AG fell by 3.8%.

    The share price of the Swiss chain of pharmacies Zur Rose Group AG fell by 2.9%.

    British oil giant Pantheon Resources PLC collapsed by 43.4% after the company's pretax loss for fiscal 2022 almost doubled.

    Market Sentiment
    On Friday, European investors continued to analyze news about easing of coronavirus restrictions in China. The Chinese government has announced that the country will drop its Covid-19 quarantine requirement for passengers arriving from abroad starting January 8. At the same time, a negative test for coronavirus will be required to enter the state.

    In addition, Beijing authorities reduced the level of surveillance of the coronavirus, rejecting the legal basis for the introduction of enhanced infection control measures.

    In response to this move by Chinese authorities, some states have tightened requirements for visitors from the PRC. The United States, for example, is introducing mandatory testing for people arriving by air from China as of Jan. 5.

    Traders around the world have recently been seriously concerned about China's "zero-Covid" policy, as new and existing restrictive measures in China have had a negative impact on the country's economic activity.

    At the end of November, mass protests erupted in Shanghai against China's stringent Covid restrictions. The police dispersed protesters with gas canisters.

    After that, markets began to hope that mass protests in Chinese cities would force local authorities to loosen regional restrictions. Fresh news from China sent a welcome positive signal that the world's second-largest economy could return to robust growth.

    On Friday, European investors were also analyzing data for the countries of the region. Thus, according to new data from the Nationwide Building Society, UK property prices rose 2.8% year-on-year in December against November's 4.4%.

    Meanwhile, Spain's statistical office INE reported the country's annual inflation rate fell to 5.8% in December of 2022, the lowest since November 2021. Thus, in the outgoing month consumer prices rose by 5.6% against the November increase of 6.7%. At the same time, analysts had forecasted inflation at 6.5%.

    Trading results the day before
    On Thursday, the leading stock indices of Western Europe closed in the green zone. However, at the beginning of the trading session, the market was steadily pessimistic, caused by investors' concerns about the permanent acceleration of inflation and tight monetary policy of the world central banks.

    As a result, the pan-European Stoxx 600 rose by 0.68% - to 430.35 points.

    The French CAC 40 gained 0.97%, the German DAX gained 1.05% and the British FTSE 100 gained 0.21%.

    Those that were sharply trading lower were stocks in oil and gas and consumer companies.

    The share price of European oil corporations British Petroleum and Shell dropped by 0.7% and 0.3%, respectively. Companies were under pressure due to the sharp fall in world prices for crude oil (by more than 1%).

    The share price of key consumer companies - British Unilever and British American Tobacco - fell by 0.6%.

    Swiss drugstore chain Zur Rose Group AG grew by 5.2%.

    The share price of British online retailer THG Plc increased by 3.2%.

    European airlines easyJet PLC, Wizz Air Holdings Plc and Deutsche Lufthansa AG fell by more than 2%.

    German online retailer of shoes, fashion and beauty Zalando SE dropped 1%.

    The share price of the German truck manufacturer Daimler Truck Holding AG decreased by 0.8%.

    Adidas AG, a German manufacturer of clothing, footwear and accessories, decreased by 0.6%.

    The share price of Evraz Plc, a British metals and mining company, plummeted by 12.6%.

    British company Ocado Group Plc, which licenses grocery technology, sank by 1.5%.

    TThe share price of German energy company Uniper SE soared by 10.9%.

    German air carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG dropped by 3.3%.

    An important factor supporting the stock market in Europe on Thursday was a strong performance of the U.S. stock exchanges. On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.5%, the S&P 500 soared 1.75% and the NASDAQ Composite gained 2.59%.
     
  4. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for GBP/USD on 09/01/2023

    To put it mildly, the labor market data in the United States was fantastic. Especially when you look at the unemployment rate, which fell from 3.6% to 3.5%. Especially since the previous data was revised up from 3.7%. And it was projected to remain unchanged. In addition, 223,000 new jobs were created outside of agriculture. That's certainly not much more than the forecast of 220,000, but it's still a bit more to keep the unemployment rate stable. In other words, there's all the makings for further job growth. Although unemployment continues to be at record lows. But the interesting thing is that the dollar has been getting cheaper. It's all about the incredibly good macro data. Oddly enough, they show a clear overheating of the labor market. Especially since the United States is actively pursuing a policy to lure industrial production to its territory.

    And the question arises - where will companies get workers for all these companies with such a high level of employment? And in general, an overheated labor market can lead to a sudden and steep rise in unemployment and with it a catastrophic drop in investment. Not to mention losses for the companies themselves. After all, companies invest in business expansion and job creation, and when they can't find employees then the investment doesn't pay off. So companies have to write off losses and cut costs to at least compensate for the negative consequences. This prospect is the reason why the dollar is weakening.

    The unemployment rate (United States):

    Nevertheless, this situation creates prospects for the dollar's growth in the long term. The fact is that the monetary authorities have only one tool to fight overheating of the labor market - an increase in interest rates. In other words, although the Federal Reserve will slow down the pace of rate hikes, there is no question of its reduction in the near future. Most likely, the cycle of rising interest rates in the United States will continue through 2023. While the European Central Bank is likely to begin to gradually reduce its rate as early as the middle of this year.

    The pound appreciated by more than 250 points against the US dollar on Friday. As a result, it won back all the decline since the beginning of the month, and the quote was above 1.2100. It is worth noting that we have a sell-off in dollar positions across the Forex market.

    The H4 RSI has crossed the middle line of 50 upwards. This indicates a high demand for long positions on the pound.

    Moving averages on the H4 Alligator have changed direction from downward to upwards. This is a signal to buy.

    Outlook

    In this situation, the upward move may persist due to the speculative sentiment of traders. I expect a further increase in long positions once the price stays above 1.2150 on the four-hour chart.

    Take note that such rapid price changes often lead to excessive trading positions. For this reason, a technical pullback should not be ruled out.

    Based on complex indicator analysis, there is a buy signal for short-term and intraday trading because of the upward movement.
     
  5. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD and GBP/USD trading plan for beginners on January 10, 2023

    Details of the economic calendar on January 9
    The data on unemployment in the EU did not affect the market in any way, as figures remained at the same level.

    The eurozone unemployment rate remains at 6.5%, coinciding with the estimates.

    Analysis of trading charts from January 9
    The EURUSD currency pair reached 1.0760 during the inertial movement from the 1.0500 support level. As a result, the local high of the upward trend from October last year was updated.

    During the rapid inertial course, the GBP/USD rose to the value of 1.2200, despite the fact that a few trading days ago, the quote was around the 1.1850 mark. The overbought condition is obvious, but speculators ignore this technical signal.

    Economic calendar for January 10
    No important statistical data are scheduled to be published today.

    For this reason, investors and traders will monitor the incoming information flow. At 14:00 UTC, the speech of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled.

    EUR/USD trading plan for January 10
    In this situation, the inertial move still takes place in the market, where speculators ignore technical signals about the overbought euro. Updating the local high of the previous day may bring the price closer to the level of 1.0800. As for the corrective movement, this scenario will be considered by traders in case the price declines below 1.0700.

    GBP/USD trading plan for January 10
    In this situation, there is a slight pullback, during which the quote returned to the level of 1.2150, while the upward mood is still maintained among traders. For this reason, the return of the price above the value of 1.2200 may restart the inertial move.

    At the same time, keeping the price below 1.2130 in a four-hour period may be the first technical signal for the formation of a full-size correction in the direction of the 1.2000 psychological level.

    What's on the charts
    The candlestick chart type is white and black graphic rectangles with lines above and below. With a detailed analysis of each individual candle, you can see its characteristics relative to a particular time frame: opening price, closing price, intraday high and low.

    Horizontal levels are price coordinates, relative to which a price may stop or reverse its trajectory. In the market, these levels are called support and resistance.

    Circles and rectangles are highlighted examples where the price reversed in history. This color highlighting indicates horizontal lines that may put pressure on the asset's price in the future.

    The up/down arrows are landmarks of the possible price direction in the future.
     
  6. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for GBP/USD on 11/01/2023

    In just a couple of days, the pound gained almost 350 points, and a local correction was justified. However, despite a completely empty macroeconomic calendar, which usually promotes all sorts of bounces, the British currency lost only 50 points. And it proves that investors don't really believe in the dollar's growth potential right now. At least, in the short-term perspective. Moving forward, I don't think the dollar is going to strengthen. Most likely, the market will continue to stand still. And it's been staying in the same place since the middle of yesterday. In fact, the macroeconomic calendar is also absolutely empty today. The market obviously needs a good reason for it to move in any direction. The pound can't grow because it's overbought, and there's no particular reason for it to fall.

    The pair's upward momentum has slowed down around 1.2200. As a result, there was a pullback of about 90 pips, which is considered as a process of regrouping trading forces.

    On the four-hour chart, the RSI technical indicator is moving in the upper area of 50/70, which reflects traders' interest in long positions on the euro.

    On the four-hour chart, the Alligator's MAs are headed upwards, which corresponds to the upward cycle.

    Outlook

    The current pullback has smoothly turned into stagnation along 1.2150, which may support new price surges. Using technical analysis, I expect long positions on the pound to grow even more once the price stays above 1.2200. In this case, the subsequent upward movement will resume.

    As for the bearish scenario within the corrective move, the price should stay below 1.2130 over the four-hour period.

    Based on complex indicator analysis, there is a variable signal for short-term and intraday trading due to a flat. In the medium term, there is still a buy signal.
     
  7. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for EUR/USD on 12/01/2023

    The market has been stagnating for a couple of days and only the US inflation report, which will be released today, can get it out of this state. As a matter of fact, investors are waiting for it. Especially in the light of Friday statements of representatives of the Federal Reserve, which basically boils down to a slowdown in the growth of interest rates. In principle, the US central bank did not hide the fact that this year it will complete the cycle of rate hikes. And it's clear that before that, from meeting to meeting the growth of interest rates will be reduced. But everyone was shaken by the statement that during the next Federal Open Market Committee meeting the Fed funds rate may be raised by only 25 basis points. This caused the dollar to weaken.

    In this regard, inflation forecasts are highly important. The fact is that the main forecast remains unchanged, and the growth rate of consumer prices should slow down from 7.1% to 6.7%. However, judging by the market behavior, as well as the nature of reports, traders might assume that events will develop according to the most optimistic scenario, and inflation will slow down to 6.5%. Such forecasts do exist, but they are not mainstream. And this creates an interesting perspective. Traders may believe in a broader decline in inflation, and when they see a slightly lesser slowdown, sentiment will change dramatically, and the dollar will begin to recoup its losses as investors drastically revise their expectations, and begin to assume a 50-point reduction in the rate is coming instead of 25. That will be the start of the correction. If inflation actually slows down more, then the potential for the euro's further growth is rather limited since it is excessively overbought.

    Inflation (United States):

    The EURUSD pair, after briefly being stuck in the 1.0710/1.0760 range, has finally crossed its upper limit. As a consequence, the upward cycle continued.

    The RSI technical indicator is moving within the overbought zone, indicating that long positions on the euro are way above its intrinsic or fair value. It is worth noting that the lack of a full-size correction in the market suggests that traders are ignoring the technical signs of it being overbought.

    On the four-hour and daily charts, the Alligator's MA are headed upwards, which corresponds to the current cycle.

    Outlook

    Keeping the price above 1.0760 will eventually lead to a breakdown of the subsequent resistance level of 1.0800. In turn, this step allows for the subsequent formation of a medium-term uptrend in the euro.

    As for the bearish scenario, traders will consider this option in case of a reversal, with the price moving below 1.0700. In this case, a correction is possible.

    In terms of the complex indicator analysis, we see that in the short-term, intraday and medium-term periods, there is still a buy signal because of the upward cycle.
     

  8. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    The Fed promises to continue raising the rate, but the market no longer believes

    Today, January 12, Thursday, the US dollar dropped significantly once more. Let me remind you that last Friday, reports on the unemployment rate, the labor market, and business activity were released in the United States for the first time in 2023. 223 thousand people were employed, the unemployment rate declined to 3.5%, and the ISM index unexpectedly went below the 50.0 level. Generally speaking, the only ISM index that is detrimental to the dollar is the one for the services sector. The remaining news is all favorable in my opinion, but the demand for the US dollar is still down significantly. The demand for the dollar was steady at the start of this week, but today data on inflation in the United States was released, which did not appear to startle the market but sparked a strong reaction. The market anticipated a decrease in the consumer price index of 6.5% y/y, which exactly happened. The market also anticipated a 5.7% y/y decline in the base index. There were no additional significant occurrences today.

    It turns out that although both results from the same report were almost exactly in line with predictions, the demand for US dollars nonetheless decreased, preventing both instruments from starting (or continuing) to build the correction portion of the trend. It is vital to note that the subsequent activities of central banks, in this case, the Fed, are more significant than inflation itself. Michelle Bowman, one of the FOMC's voting members, recently predicted that the rate will increase because inflation is still too high. At a Florida event, Bowman stated, "I believe we can cut inflation without a big economic slump as the jobless rate continues at its historic lows. Other FOMC members had previously argued for the continuation of monetary policy tightening. However, the market appears to be responding that all interest rate increases have already been fully absorbed by the US dollar's constantly declining demand. The rate is anticipated to climb to a maximum of 5.5% by the market, though it may be lower following today's inflation report

    It is important to keep in mind that the demand for the currency is supported by a tighter monetary policy. Therefore, as expectations for the rate decline, so does the demand for the currency. Therefore, from a wave perspective, I continue to anticipate the development of downward trend sections. Despite their significant length and complexity, the market indicates that it is willing to build upward segments. Only figures on British GDP, European and British industrial production, and the American University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index are available this week. The recession in the UK has reportedly already started, thus the most significant GDP data is likely to show a decrease. If this is the case, it would be difficult to predict that the GDP will increase over a single month.

    I conclude that the upward trend section's building is about finished based on the analysis. As a result, given that the MACD is indicating a "down" trend, it is now viable to contemplate sales with targets close to the predicted 0.9994 level, or 323.6% per Fibonacci. The potential for complicating and extending the upward portion of the trend remains quite strong, as does the likelihood of this happening.

    The building of a downward trend section is still assumed by the wave pattern of the pound/dollar instrument. According to the "down" reversals of the MACD indicator, it is possible to take into account sales with objectives around the level of 1.1508, which corresponds to 50.0% by Fibonacci. The upward portion of the trend is probably over, however, it might yet take a lengthier shape than it does right now.
     
  9. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD and GBP/USD trading plan for beginners on January 17, 2023

    Details of the economic calendar on January 16
    The economic calendar was traditionally empty on Monday. No important reports were published in the EU, the United Kingdom, and the Unites States.

    Martin Luther King Day was celebrated in the United States. For this reason, banks, funds, and stock exchanges were closed.

    Analysis of trading charts from January 16
    EURUSD reached the 1.0800 level during the pullback stage, where there was an amplitude move within 70 pips. In fact, the market remains in an upward mood, otherwise there would be a full-blown correction.

    GBPUSD reduced the volume of long positions during the price convergence with the 1.2300 resistance level. As a result, there was a pullback of about 100 pips, which eventually turned into a stagnation.

    Economic calendar for January 17
    Since the opening of the European session, data on the UK labor market have been published, which came out without any fundamental changes. Unemployment in the country remained at 3.6%. Employment increased by 27,000, while jobless claims rose by 19,700.

    Expectations coincided with the forecast; there is no reaction in the market.

    EUR/USD trading plan for January 17
    Presumably, the 1.0800/1.0870 amplitude will focus the market on itself only for a while. As a result, the stagnation will end with an impulse emanating from the stagnation, which will indicate one of the possible scenarios.

    The first scenario considers the prolongation of the current upward cycle in the market in case of a stable holding of the price above the value of 1.0880 in a four-hour period.

    The second scenario considers the transition from a pullback stage to a full correction if the price holds below 1.0770 in a four-hour period.

    GBP/USD trading plan for January 17
    Stagnation possibly serves as a process of accumulation of trading forces, which can become a lever for new price jumps. The 1.2150 level serves as a variable support, while the resistance is at 1.2300.

    In this situation, cardinal changes will occur only after the price stays outside one or another control level for at least a four-hour period.
     
  10. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for GBP/USD on 19/01/2023

    UK inflation fell from 10.7% to 10.5% in December, and the pound gradually increased. Inflation eased for the second month, and it hints at the possibility of a more subdued increase in the Bank of England's interest rate. And these very expectations in regard to the Federal Reserve's actions just recently were the reason why the dollar is getting weaker. Moreover, during the previous meeting, two members of the Board argued for rate cuts. So, everything indicates that not only will the US central bank complete its cycle of interest rate hikes soon, but that the BoE could follow suit. And this means there is no reason for the pound to rise substantially. Investors haven't probably realized this fact yet.

    Inflation (UK):

    But the main reason why the dollar weakened during the European session was the latest US reports, forecasts for it were also negative. In December, U.S. retail sales softened 1.1% and industrial production fell 0.7%. So some pessimism about the dollar was justified. Especially when it became known that previous data had been revised downward. Retail sales climbed 6.0% and industrial production to 2.2%. And if you look at the final industrial report, things got even worse as the growth rate slowed to 1.6%. But the dollar started to rise after the data was released. It's all about retail sales, which remained unchanged with the revision. And this report is significant because it best reflects the state of consumer activity, which is the engine of economic growth. And the data turned out to be significantly better than expected, which of course will inspire confidence that the United States can avoid a recession.

    Retail Sales (United States):

    First of all, due to the inflationary dynamics in the UK itself, the pound's growth potential is extremely limited. Investors will have to gradually start changing their positions, not in favor of the British currency. But now it has nowhere to go today either. The total number of unemployment claims in the US may grow by 8,000. Of course, the growth itself isn't very significant, but the forecasts are still negative, so there is no reason for the dollar to rise, at least for today. Hence, the market is likely to consolidate around the current values.

    Unemployment claims (United States):

    GBPUSD crossed the resistance level of 1.2300. As a consequence, the upward momentum gave the pound the opportunity to come close to the December high. The subsequent swing was expressed in a pullback, indicating a decline in the volume of long positions.

    On the four-hour chart, the RSI technical indicator was in the overbought area, above the 70 line. This occurred when GBP crossed 1.2300 and approached the December high. Subsequently, there was a price pullback, which is expressed on the RSI indicator by its return below 70.

    On the four-hour and D1 chart, the Alligator's MAs are headed upward, which corresponds to the general bullish sentiment.

    Outlook

    The pullback stage brought the quote back to 1.2300, which, taking into account the current strengthening, is considered as the least possible price change. For the pullback to pass the stage of correction, the quote should return below 1.2250 on the four-hour chart. In this case, GBP could reach 1.2150.

    However, staying above 1.2300 may eventually restart long positions in the pound, and it could update the local high of the upward cycle.

    Comprehensive indicator analysis suggests a price pullback for the short-term and intraday trading. While the bullish sentiment is still valid for the medium term.
     
  11. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for EUR/USD on 20/01/2023

    The multidirectional nature of the unemployment claims data in the United States was the main reason why the currency market is stagnant. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 15,000, although it should have increased by 2,000. However, if the data on initial applications turned out to be noticeably better than forecasted, the situation with repeated applications is diametrically opposite. According to forecasts, the so-called continuing claims should have grown by 6,000, but in fact it rose 17,000. Nevertheless, the total number of applications increased by 2,000, i.e. remained virtually unchanged. And as we can see from the forecasts, it was supposed to grow by 8,000. Well, the final data themselves were slightly better than forecasted.

    The number of jobless claims (United States):

    Today the macroeconomic calendar is completely empty, so it will probably be another stage of a flat market. And this may last till Thursday, when preliminary data on US GDP will be released. In the meantime, not much interesting macro data is expected.

    The EURUSD pair has been moving in the sideways range at the peak of the upward cycle all through the trading week. This price move indicates the process of accumulation of trading forces, otherwise the market would have already had a corrective move, which was brewing at the beginning of the week.

    On the four-hour chart, the RSI technical indicator is moving along the mid line 50, which corresponds to stagnation. On the D1 chart, the RSI is at 64, which points to the bullish sentiment among traders.

    Moving averages on the H4 Alligator are intersected with each other which means sideways trading. On the daily chart, moving averages are directed upward which corresponds to the overall bullish cycle.

    Outlook and trading ideas

    Based on the structure and the price movement, we can assume that the current flat is ending. A prolonged stagnation may serve as a lever for new speculative price spikes.

    The optimal strategy to consider is the method of outgoing momentum, which in the theory of technical analysis can indicate the subsequent direction of the price.

    Complex indicator analysis suggests mixed signals for the short-term and intraday trading on the back of the flat market. The overall bullish sentiment is still valid for the medium term.
     
  12. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD: Dollar back in disgrace, while euro gains momentum

    The euro-dollar pair tested the 9th figure at the start of the new trading week for the first time since April last year. Such price dynamics is due not only to the weakening of the U.S. currency (the U.S. dollar index opened trading with a downward gap), but also to the strengthening of the euro (as evidenced by the main cross-pairs involving euro). Such a fundamental background allows EUR/USD bulls to move towards the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the D1 timeframe, which currently corresponds to the 1.0950 mark. Overcoming this resistance level will open the way for traders to the 10th figure.

    Dollar in disgrace

    The U.S. dollar is declining amid an almost empty economic calendar on Monday, following Friday's trading inertia. The U.S. dollar index fell from 102.30 to 101.70 on the last day of last trading week. The weekend didn't change traders' minds: today, the index resumed its downward marathon, heading to the base of the 101st figure. Major currency pairs changed their configuration accordingly, with the exception of USD/JPY, which rose after the publication of the minutes of the Bank of Japan's December meeting (according to some members of the Governing Council, the central bank should "clearly explain that expanding the yield range is not the first step in exiting the ultra-loose policy").

    But in general, the greenback is under significant pressure. Recent releases indicate that the Fed is guaranteed to reduce the pace of rate hikes to 25 points, and will do so at its February meeting. On Friday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller (who has long been one of the main hawks in favor of an aggressive rate hike) advocated a 25-point scenario. Earlier, a similar position was voiced by other representatives of the Fed, in particular, Patrick Harker, Lorie Logan, and Esther George.

    Such statements were made amid a slowdown in U.S. inflation indicators: note that not only the consumer price index, but also the producer price index came out in the red zone. If this week, core PCE index comes out at least at the predicted level (not to mention the "red color"), the puzzle will be finalized. However, the market already de facto has no doubt that the Fed will reduce the pace of rate hike to 25 points. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of this scenario at the February meeting is estimated at 99%. I think additional comments are unnecessary here.

    Euro outlook

    Unlike the dollar, the euro enjoys support from the ECB. Representatives of the central bank are vying to voice hawkish messages, assuring traders that the regulator will not change its hawkish course. Last week, there were rumors in the market that the European Central Bank may reduce the rate hike to 25 points in March. The relevant information was published by Bloomberg, citing its sources in the central bank.

    The published insider, to put it mildly, surprised market participants (it was then that the EUR/USD pair updated the local high, dropping to 1.0795) since many ECB members voiced opposite signals in public. Christine Lagarde came to the aid of the euro here: speaking at the Davos economic Forum, she said that the European Central Bank is still far from its target, and the regulator has to take "several significant steps." The hawkish minutes of the ECB's December meeting only complemented her words, keeping the EUR/USD pair within the 8th figure.

    Today the "hawkish marathon" got its development. Firstly, ECB Governing Council member and Bank of Finland Governor Olli Rehn said that he sees all grounds for a significant interest rate hike "both in winter and this coming spring." Second, a Reuters poll of leading economists was released today. According to most experts, the European Central Bank will raise rates by 50 points, not only at the February meeting, but also at the March meeting. The polled economists also predicted that the rate will reach 3.25% by the middle of the year (the highest value since end 2008).

    Conclusions

    The fundamental background formed last week contributes to further growth in the price of EUR/USD. And to date, the situation has not changed: the comments of the head of the central bank of Finland, as well as the published Reuters survey, only added to the fundamental picture, allowing buyers of the pair to test the borders of the 9th figure.

    Today's main news flow is expected during the U.S. trading session. Eurozone consumer confidence index will be released (positive dynamics is expected), and ECB representatives Christine Lagarde and Fabio Panetta will give a speech (they can also support the euro). In general, the pair remains bullish. The price echelon has shifted one step up, to the range of 1.0850–1.0950. Probably, in the medium term, EUR/USD buyers will try not only to gain a foothold within the 9th figure, but also to precipitate the 1.0950 resistance level, which corresponds to the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the daily chart.
     
  13. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD. Analysis for January 25. Statistics from the European Union again prevented the euro from falling.

    The wave marking on the euro/dollar instrument's 4-hour chart is still quite compelling and getting more intricate, and the entire upward segment of the trend is still quite convoluted. Although its length is better suited for the pulse portion, it has taken on a powerful corrective and extended form. The waves a-b-c-d-e have been combined into a complicated corrective structure, with wave e having a form that is far more complex than the other waves. Since the peak of wave e is substantially higher than the peak of wave C, if the wave markings are accurate, construction on this structure may be nearly finished. I'm still planning for a decline in the instrument because we are predicted to build at least three waves down in this scenario. The demand for the euro currency increased in the first three weeks of 2023, and during this time the instrument only managed to move marginally lower from previously established levels. A new attempt to surpass 1.0721, which according to Fibonacci amounts to 200.0%, was successful, allowing the wave e to take on an even longer form. Unfortunately, there is another delay in starting to build the trend correction part.

    The euro is making every effort to maintain its part of the trend.

    On Tuesday, the euro/dollar instrument rose by 15 basis points, and the instrument's amplitude was extremely small throughout the day. I think that all of yesterday's movements were just "market noise." Movements of 20–30 points in a variety of directions cannot be interpreted by me as a market response to news or deliberate market activity. It is still true that there is a stagnant increase in demand for US cash. If you pay close attention to the news context, there can be no justification for the market to raise its demand for the dollar. For instance, business activity indices in the US continued to be below the critical value of 50.0. On the other hand, when compared to the data from a month ago, all three indices have increased. In other words, the market could have raised the demand for the dollar but chose not to. If you ignore the fact that two of them stayed below 50.0, the European business activity indices also turned out to be rather strong. But because the statistics were so vague, the market could give them its interpretation. In recent months, it has taken an interest in purchasing euro currency. Another day has passed when, if not an increase, then certainly a decline in demand for the euro.

    We can assume that the market paid no attention to this news if we think back to the instrument's overall amplitude. The market seems to be anticipating meetings for the coming week. Before the meetings, perhaps the euro will even be able to increase a little bit further. However, if the increase persists after them, it will be even more challenging to discuss rational movements. Corrective waves, which we frequently saw at the start of the rising trend section, are now completely absent.analytics63d0bd375a595.jpg

    Conclusions in general
    I conclude that the upward trend section's building is about finished based on the analysis. As a result, given that the MACD is signaling "down," it is now possible to contemplate sales with goals close to the predicted mark of 1.0350, or 261.8% per Fibonacci. The potential for complicating and extending the upward portion of the trend remains quite strong, as does the likelihood of this happening. The market will be ready to finish the wave e when a bid to break through the 1.0950 level fails.

    The wave marking of the descending trend segment notably becomes more intricate and lengthens at the higher wave scale. The a-b-c-d-e structure is most likely represented by the five upward waves we observed. After the construction of this portion is complete, work on a downward trend segment can start.
     
  14. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    USD/JPY. Its own atmosphere

    The USD/JPY pair has been trading in its own "coordinate system", prioritizing fundamental factors. For example, the pair was actively rising at the start of the week, despite the decline in the U.S. dollar index. Traders of USD/JPY ignored the general weakening of the US currency and even updated the local high (131.14). We will discuss the reasons for such behavior below, but first of all we should pay attention to the most important fact: the bulls failed to settle above the resistance level of 131.00 (middle line of the indicator Bollinger Bands on the D1 chart). Bulls found it hard to climb above this level, which speaks about how unstable their position is. The scale is still in favor of the yen, even in that isolated "coordinate system", in which the pair has to trade.

    Yen at the helm
    What is the peculiarity of the pair's behavior?

    For so many years, the yen acted as a follower, while the greenback took the lead. The Bank of Japan's monetary policy with Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, who was appointed to his post in 2013, repeated the same mantra month after month - that the central bank is committed to accommodative policy and, if necessary, ready to further ease monetary policy parameters. Everybody got used to this rhetoric and did not react to it, at least in the context of the USD/JPY pair. Nearly all of the BOJ meetings were of a pass-through nature, so they had little effect on the price values.

    But everything changed in December, when the BOJ allowed long-term Japanese government bond (JGB) yields to move in a wider range at the end of the last meeting in 2022. This decision was made, firstly, quite unexpectedly, and secondly - ahead of Kuroda's resignation (he will leave his post in April). Therefore, the market interpreted the outcome of the December meeting very unambiguously, coming to the conclusion that the central bank had taken the first step towards the normalization of monetary policy. Since then, the yen has ceased to be a "slave" in the USD/JPY pair: the focus is no longer just on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy prospects, but also on the prospects of a pivot in the Japanese central bank's policy.

    The BOJ strikes back
    The BOJ obviously did not expect such a violent reaction from the market and such unambiguous, categorical conclusions. That is why Kuroda said back in late December that the central bank was not going to abandon its ultra-loose monetary policy in the near future. But the market ignored his rhetoric.

    Earlier this week, the bears had to deal with another blow: the BOJ published the minutes of its December meeting where several Governing Council members stressed that the "the Bank should carefully explain that it needs to continue with monetary easing, that its accommodative policy stance has not been changed,". The bears were then forced to retreat. Bulls took the initiative and hit a new local high on Tuesday, testing the 131.00 level of resistance. But they failed to hold on to their positions: the bears took the initiative as soon as the bullish momentum faded. At the moment, when this article was being written, the pair was already going down to the bottom of the 129th figure, almost 200 points away from the local high (in only 2 days!).

    The pair is going down not only because the dollar is "moping" (dollar index is moving to the base of the 101st figure again), but the yen is also strengthening its positions due to "its" own fundamental factors.

    Inflation, inflation, inflation
    First, inflation in Japan continues to show an uptrend, renewing multi-year records. Overall consumer price inflation accelerated to 4.0% in December. Excluding fresh food and energy, consumer prices climbed 3.0% annually, and the corporate goods price index was up 10.2% y/y. On Friday, January 27, Japan will publish another important inflation indicator, the January Tokyo Consumer Price Index. It is considered a leading indicator for price movements across the country, so certain conclusions can be drawn from the published figures. If it will be in favor of the yen again, the USD/JPY pair may return to the area of 127-128 figures, where it was traded in early January.

    Traders of the pair are now acting ahead of the consolidated forecasts. Thus, according to most experts, Tokyo's overall CPI will rise to 4.2%: the last time the figure was at that high was in November 1981. The other components of the report (excluding fresh food prices; excluding food and energy prices) should also show an uptrend.

    Conclusions
    Judging by the results of the last few days, we can conclude that the yen held its ground and did not let the bulls settle above the resistance level of 131.00. Undoubtedly, the greenback, which is getting weaker all over the market again, has also played its part. But we should also consider that the pair was rising this week while the USD index was falling. Therefore, the pair is bearish also due to the strengthening of the Japanese currency. Further price declines will largely depend on this week's key releases: if US GDP growth data for Q4 and the core PCE index come out in the red, while Tokyo CPI surprises with its greenback, the pressure on the pair will only intensify. The main bearish target is 127.30 (bottom line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the D1 chart).
     

  15. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Hot forecast for GBP/USD on 27/01/2023

    US economic growth is expected to have slowed from 1.9% to 1.6%, but the first estimate of GDP for the fourth quarter showed a slowdown to 1.0%. This is perfectly in line with speculation that the US economy is at risk of sliding into recession. And with it the global economy. In theory, this would lead to the inevitable depreciation of the dollar. However, this has not happened. If you look at the pound, it has actually remained in place. The dollar edged up when the report was published, but then it quickly returned to the positions at which it was just before the US GDP report was released. The reason for such a strange reaction to obviously weak data lies in the preliminary estimates themselves. Yes, in annual terms, the growth rate slowed down significantly. However, if we look at the quarterly data, the economy grew by 2.9% in the fourth quarter, while the growth forecast was 2.7%. And if you also look at the durable goods orders, which suddenly rose as much as 5.6%, well above the 2.2% forecast, then you would see that the market's reaction is quite understandable. Yes, the economy has slowed down a lot, but there are signs that a recession can be avoided. The durable goods report hints at the possibility of an economic recovery as early as the first quarter.

    GDP change (United States):

    Despite the obvious interest in long positions, GBPUSD failed to update the local high of the upward cycle. As a result, 1.2440 has become a kind of resistance level against which stagnation/rebound occurs.

    On the four-hour chart, the RSI technical indicator is moving in the upper area of 50/70, which points to the bullish sentiment. There is a similar technical signal on the daily chart.

    On the four-hour chart, the Alligator's MAs have numerous intersections, which corresponds to the flat movement. The MAs are headed upwards.

    Outlook

    Based on the fact that the price has been fluctuating this week, the pair has been trading within the sideways channel of 1.2300/1.2440. At the peak of the upward cycle, this movement points to an accumulation process. As a result, an outgoing momentum should emerge that may indicate the price's succeeding direction.

    In terms of the complex indicator analysis, we see that in the short-term and intraday periods, the indicator is providing a mixed signal because of stagnation. In the mid-term period, the indicators are moving in the direction of the upward cycle from the previous fall.
     
  16. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD and GBP/USD trading plan for beginners on January 30, 2023

    Details of the economic calendar on January 27
    The economic calendar was almost empty on Friday. No important reports were published in the EU, the United Kingdom, and the Unites States.

    However, it was possible to highlight the U.S. Pending Home Sales Index, which grew by 2.5% in December. Despite the positive data, no one paid attention to them.

    Analysis of trading charts from January 27
    The EURUSD currency pair has been within the sideways movement of 1.0840/1.0930 throughout the past week. This amplitude indicates the process of accumulation of trading forces, where, in the light of upcoming economic events, it will be won back in the form of price leverage.

    Despite the fact that the GBPUSD currency pair had a wider amplitude compared to EURUSD, in general terms, everything is the same. The borders of price fluctuations are clamped between the values of 1.2300 and 1.2440, where the quote has been moving for almost two weeks. In fact, this price movement, as well as for the euro, indicates the process of accumulation of trading forces. Otherwise, a full-blown correction would have already occurred in the market.

    Economic calendar for January 30
    The economic calendar is traditionally empty on Monday. No important reports are expected. But do not be discouraged as the heat will begin at the middle of the week: the results of the Fed meeting, followed by the ECB, the Bank of England, inflation in the EU, and U.S. Department of Labor report. We expect high volatility in the financial markets.

    EUR/USD trading plan for January 30
    In this situation, where there is a price movement looped in a sideways range, it is appropriate to work according to the method of breaking through one or another stagnation border. As a result, with a high degree of probability, an outgoing impulse will arise, which will lead to the completion of the flat, indicating the subsequent movement.

    Based on the above, consider two possible scenarios:

    The upward move will be relevant if the price holds above 1.0940 in a four-hour period. This move will lead towards the 1.1000 psychological level.

    The downward move will be applied if the price holds below 1.0840 in a four-hour period. This move could initially push the euro towards 1.0800. After that, a transition to the full-blown correction stage is possible.

    GBP/USD trading plan for January 30
    Based on the fact that the flat still takes place in the market, the tactics of working by the method of breaking through one or another range boundary is considered the most optimal.

    Let's concretize the above:

    The downward move will be relevant if the price holds below the level of 1.2300 in a four-hour period. This step can lead to the formation of a full-blown correction.

    The upward move is taken into account in case of a stable holding of the price above the value of 1.2450 in a four-hour period. This move will indicate a continuation of the upward trend.

    What's on the charts
    The candlestick chart type is white and black graphic rectangles with lines above and below. With a detailed analysis of each individual candle, you can see its characteristics relative to a particular time frame: opening price, closing price, intraday high and low.

    Horizontal levels are price coordinates, relative to which a price may stop or reverse its trajectory. In the market, these levels are called support and resistance.

    Circles and rectangles are highlighted examples where the price reversed in history. This color highlighting indicates horizontal lines that may put pressure on the asset's price in the future.

    The up/down arrows are landmarks of the possible price direction in the future.
     
  17. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    AUD/USD. A black streak for the Australian dollar

    A "black streak" came for the AUD/USD bulls after a streak of gains. The pair was rising almost the entire week and hit 0.7147, a seven-month high. But traders couldn't keep it at the level of the 71st figure: the price went down for the second day and tested the 69th price level. Although, it is worth taking note of the fact that the pair is losing ground not only because of the greenback's strength ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting.

    Australia: Labor market and inflation
    In exactly one week's time, the Reserve Bank of Australia will hold its meeting on February 7. Therefore, traders are not only discussing the outcome of the Fed meeting, but are also preparing for the announcement of the RBA's verdict.

    See also: You can open a trading account here
    AUD/USD. A black streak for the Australian dollar
    Take note that last week, the pair received strong support from Australian inflation. Data on consumer price index growth in Australia turned out to be in the green zone, surprising market participants. For example, the monthly CPI indicator rose to 8.4% in the twelve months to December (with a forecasted increase to 7.6%). As for Q4 as a whole, all indicators were also in the green zone, exceeding analysts' expectations. In particular, Australia's annual rate of inflation has risen to a record high of 7.8% (with the forecast of 7.5%). The indicator continued the uptrend that it demonstrated throughout last year. The CPI rose 1.9% in the December 2022 quarter, while most experts had forecast a decline to 1.6% (after 1.8% in the third quarter). Core inflation in Australia (weighted average CPI) in quarterly terms also exceeded forecasts, coming in at 1.7%.

    The inflation report "revived" the aussie after the previous labor market report. This report, on the contrary, turned out to be very controversial. The growth rate of the number of employed people fell to -14,600, while the growth rate was forecasted to +27,000. After the report, there were rumors in the market that the RBA might take a break in hiking rates in the beginning of spring. Unexpectedly strong inflation refuted these rumors, and the pair managed to conquer the resistance level of 0.7000.

    The decline was due to investors' concerns over the actions of the Australian central bank. In my opinion, these fears are exaggerated.

    The next steps of the RBA
    Let me remind you that after the previous (December) meeting, RBA Governor Philip Lowe said that the central bank does not follow the pre-planned course: according to him, "the size and timing of future rate hikes will continue to be determined by incoming data and the Board's assessment of the outlook for inflation and the labor market". And while the labor market has generally "let down" the bulls, rising Australian inflation clearly speaks in favor of further rate hikes.

    In this context, another phrase from Lowe is also noteworthy - that "the Board's priority is to return inflation to target over time".

    One would assume that the central bank would slow the pace of rate hikes. But in this case, the RBA played ahead of the curve, lowering the rate to 25 points ahead of many of the leading central banks in the world. That's why this issue was off the table months ago.

    As for rumors that the RBA may pause in monetary tightening, first of all, representatives of the central bank have repeatedly denied such intentions, and secondly, inflation indicators have offset the "dovish" talk, even amid weak "Australian Nonfarm".

    Conclusions
    The Australian dollar, in my opinion, unreasonably yields to pressure from the US currency. Certainly, ahead of the announcement of the results of the Federal Reserve's February meeting, it is detrimental and even dangerous to open any trading positions on the pair. But if the Fed does not ally with the greenback, the upward route for the pair's bulls will be open, even despite some doubts regarding the RBA's further actions. The bullish target will be 0.7150 again.

    Technically speaking, the pair is between the middle and the upper lines of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the D1 chart, as well as above all lines of the Ichimoku indicator, which demonstrates a bullish "Parade of Lines" signal. In other words, technically, the pair retains the potential for further growth, to the major resistance level of 0.7150 (the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on D1). A breakdown of this level will open the way to the area of the 72nd figure.
     
  18. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    Aggressive Fed rate hike is ending

    Euro rose above 1.1000 after the Fed signaled a change in their stance on monetary policy. Their statements during yesterday's meeting were more dovish compared to December, with interest rates increasing by only 25 basis points to a range of 4.5%-4.75%.

    At first, markets did not react much to the news as everyone was waiting for the speech of Jerome Powell. But when the Fed Chairman confirmed that they will no longer be aggressive in terms of interest rates, risk appetite surged. The decision was kind of in line with what everyone was expecting, that is, a more optimistic view of inflation and the economy. Of course, Powell was not objectively dovish, but neither was he overly hawkish, which was enough for the market.

    Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Powell said they are forecasting "a couple more" rate hikes, but are ready to adjust their plans if price pressures eased faster than expected. When asked about easing conditions in financial markets that could complicate the central bank's path to return to its 2.0% inflation target, he did not sound particularly concerned.

    The 25 basis point hike that was made yesterday was another step towards policy normalization after a half-point rate hike in December and four giant hikes of 75 basis points before that. Most likely, the soft inflation data in recent months has been persuasive enough for the Fed to consider suspending their rate hike campaign. Although the committee continues to cite high prices, the hint of two more 25 basis point hikes confirms market expectations of a final rate hike of 5.25%.

    During the press conference, Powell admitted that the US economy is now in an era of disinflation with cooling price pressures. He stressed that more data is needed before they can declare victory, but did not specify how much they need to ensure that inflation is on the right track.

    In terms of the forex market, demand for euro surged, but buyers need to protect 1.1000 in order to maintain the chance of rising above 1.1050. Possible price levels in such a situation are 1.1090 and 1.1125. In the event of a decline, EUR/USD could move below 1.1000 and head towards 1.0960 and 1.0920.

    For GBP/USD, the sideways trend persists, so buyers need to return above 1.2420 to regain their advantage. Only the breakdown of this resistance level will strengthen the hope of a rise towards 1.2470, after which it will be possible for the pair to reach 1.2540. If pressure returns and sellers take control of 1.2350, the pair will fall to 1.2290 and 1.2230.
     
  19. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD. The Fed hit the dollar, the ECB hit the euro

    The European Central Bank increased the interest rate by 50 points at this year's first meeting, while announcing a 50-point hike at the next meeting in March. Despite such hawkish results of the February meeting, the euro came under pressure. The single currency retreated from a multi-month price peak (1.1034) and returned to the area of the 9th figure. Anomalous, at the first glance, market reaction is due to several factors.

    Spring is near
    If you assess the February meetings of the Federal Reserve, Bank of England and ECB, you can take note of one general characteristic. On the one hand, central banks declared the continuation of a hawkish course, but on the other hand, they made it clear that aggressive monetary policies are coming to an end. That's why the dollar was under attack at the end of the Fed meeting, the pound was under pressure by the end of the BoE meeting, and the euro was losing ground by the results of the ECB meeting. At the same time, traders actually ignored the fact that the central banks announced further steps to monetary tightening.

    For example, ECB President Christine Lagarde without any vague wording, which is considered "straightforward", announced that the ECB intends to raise interest rates by another 50 basis points during the next meeting in March. According to her, the disinflationary process hadn't begun, despite the slowdown in the overall consumer price index (core inflation continues to show an uptrend).

    It would seem that such straightforward hawkish verbal signals should have served as a springboard for the euro. But instead of growth to the resistance level of 1.1090 (the upper line of the Bollinger Bands indicator on the weekly chart), the price turned 180 degrees and was marked in the area of the 8th figure, followed by the retreat to the area of the 9th price level.

    Why did this happen?
    First of all, Lagarde, while announcing monetary tightening in March, questioned the further growth of interest rates. According to her, after the March decision "the ECB will evaluate the subsequent path of monetary policy." At the same time, market expectations (in particular, currency strategists at Danske Bank and a number of other large conglomerates) are more hawkish. The assumed scenario includes a 50-point hike in March and a 25-point increase at the next meeting (by 50 points according to some other analysts). Therefore, Lagarde's "wrap-up" sentiment was negatively received by EUR/USD bulls. The single currency was under pressure as traders took the ECB's message as a sign that the central bank nears the end of its rate hike cycle. In my opinion, the market adequately assessed the situation and correctly perceived the signals of the ECB.

    Secondly, the ECB head emphasized her stance on problematic aspects - in particular, she said that economic activity in the European region has slowed down noticeably. At the same time, "high inflation and tighter financing conditions, these headwinds dampen spending and production,". Such comments put pressure on the euro.

    Nevertheless, despite the euro's negative response, the EUR/USD pair did not collapse into the area of 7-6 figures, but only retreated from the multi-month price high to the base of the 9th price level. The underlying reason for such stress tolerance is that Lagarde tried to maintain a balance in her rhetoric. On the one hand, she announced a "guaranteed" 50-point hike in March, on the other hand, she questioned further steps towards tightening. On the one hand, Lagarde complained about the slowdown in economic activity; but then she also admitted that the European economy has been more resilient than expected. Moreover, according to forecasts, the economy will show signs of recovery in the coming quarters. At the same time, the ECB head pointed to the optimism of entrepreneurs (obviously referring to the PMI and ifo indices), stable gas supplies to Europe and reduced interruptions.

    Conclusions
    Figuratively speaking, the scales are back in equilibrium again: The Fed put pressure on the dollar, and the ECB put almost as much pressure on the greenback. The bulls couldn't conquer the 10th figure, the bears couldn't pull the price down to the 7th figure (and even failed to get a foothold at the 8th price level). Now everything will depend on the values of the key macroeconomic indicators, first of all, in regards to inflation. If core inflation in the European region persistently climbs up, the ECB may raise the rate not only in March but also at the next meeting. The US faces a similar situation: the Fed chief has declared a hawkish course, "tying" the scope of monetary tightening to the dynamics of key inflation indicators. Each inflation report and each inflation component (both in the US and Europe) will be viewed through the prism of further central bank actions.

    Following the Fed and ECB meetings, the pair remained in the 1.0850-1.0970 range within which it has been trading for several weeks. In my opinion, in the mid-term perspective, the pair will fluctuate in the given price range, alternately pushing back from its limits, reacting to the current information flow.
     
  20. KostiaForexMart

    KostiaForexMart Well-Known Member

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    EUR/USD: euro seeks growth opportunities as US dollar remains under pressure from statistic data

    The US currency began this week on the back foot. USD retreated significantly after an earlier upsurge triggered by US labor market data. The euro took advantage of the situation and once again rebounded, trying to consolidate its past gains.

    On Monday, February 6, the US dollar extended its Friday rally, which began after the release of strong labor market data. However, USD could not overtake EUR. On Friday, February 3, the US dollar index (USDX) jumped and tested the three-week high at 102.7.

    As the greenback surged, US stock futures declined considerably. The release of strong US labor market data prompted investors to avoid risky assets, and sent USD higher, as it indicated that the Fed's policy expectations should be reconsidered. Market participants are expecting the regulator to continue its hawkish policy and put the peak interest rate at 5%-5.25%. According to preliminary estimates, this could be achieved with two additional hikes. Analysts say that the non-farm payrolls for January show that the US labor market is overheated. This would give the Fed more room for further rate hikes, experts say.

    In the meantime, the European currency rallied after dropping on Friday by 1%. At the beginning of the new week EUR rose against USD and hit 1.0796. EUR/USD traded at 1.0790 early on Monday, February 6, trying to hold on to its gains. FX strategists at TD Securities believe the pair will move near 1.0800, but may retreat to the low of 1.0600 in the near future.

    According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in the United States dropped unexpectedly by 0.1% in January, reaching an all-time low of 3.4%. Experts expected the rate to rise to 3.6%. The latest data shows that employment rose by 894,000 in January, while the number of unemployed declined by 28,000. At the same time, the number of non-farm payrolls rose by 517,000, far exceeding forecasts. The non-farm payroll report for December 2022 was also revised upward.

    According to estimates, the number of new jobs in the US economy was almost three times higher than expected. The unexpected growth gave the American economy a new impulse, experts noted. In January, the world's largest economy added 517,000 jobs. This is almost twice as much compared to 223,000 new jobs registered in December 2022.

    In addition, average hourly earnings in the US rose by 0.3% last month. Last December average hourly earnings increased by 0.4%. As a result, year-on-year wage growth declined to 4.4% from 4.8% in the previous month. According to current data, public sector employment in the U.S. increased substantially, with 74,000 new jobs added.

    Business activity in the US service sector also picked up in January. After a brief dip in December 2022, the index was back above the key level of 50 points, which separates growth from decline. As a result, the ISM Services PMI went up noticeably and advanced to 55.2 points from 49.6 points in November 2022. Recall that in November last year this indicator was 49.6 points.

    The current macroeconomic data supported the US dollar, which gained 1% against the euro at the end of last week. However, on Monday, February 6, USD reversed course. As a result, the European currency got the upper hand, recouping its earlier drop.

    Analysts believe that upcoming retail sales data in the eurozone may change this situation. Earlier, the euro decreased after the ECB made its decision on interest rates, only to increase after the statements made by the Federal Reserve. Last week, Fed chairman Jerome Powell suggested that there were only two rate hikes left for the regulator. In addition, the head of the Federal Reserve made it clear that the regulator may likely change its monetary policy interest rate, as the rate could reach its peak in 2023 (5%-5.25%).

    Amid this situation, analysts noted that the market has become "tired" of endless USD sell-offs. This trend has been continuing throughout the last four months. This might lead to a corrective pullback of EUR/USD by 3%-4%, experts argue. In case of such a scenario, market participants will be able to take their current profits and balance their investment portfolios.
     

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